France’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday it was worried by Israel’s decision to appropriate large tracts of land in the occupied West Bank, calling it a violation of international law and contradicting a two-state solution.
“France is extremely concerned by the decision of Israeli authorities to appropriate for Israeli settlements … territory in the West Bank,” Foreign ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said in a daily briefing.
“Settlements constitute a violation of international law and contradict commitments made by Israeli authorities in favour of a two-state solution.” Paris has been lobbying for an international peace conference before May that would outline incentives and give guarantees for Israelis and Palestinians to resume face-to-face talks before August and try to end the decades-long conflict.
